General question re. WISP/Wimax

[undesign]

*disclaimer* I know nothing of WISP's/Wimax

A friend of mine has been approached by someone who wants to provide wireless internet access to existing residential developments. Apparently he has an ICASA license. Service can be provided in a radius of 100-200km's.

Is that a WISP or Wimax?

This person needs someone to finance the end-user's equipment - somewhere between R2500 and R4000 per user - hence approaching my friend.

Service includes voice and internet.

Does any of this make sense? I just want to get a better understanding of the product to advise my friend whether it's viable to finance at all.

Thanks!

 

[nahoR]

If its a WISP doing normal wifi, R2500 sound a bit expensive for the equipment.
Look on scoop's website at the WUG kits, its about R1800. But it depens on whether installation is included, and waht is included in the *package*

 

[undesign]

Thanks, that already helps!

 

[portcullis]

If its a WISP doing normal wifi, R2500 sound a bit expensive for the equipment.
Look on scoop's website at the WUG kits, its about R1800. But it depens on whether installation is included, and waht is included in the *package*

It's this kind of comment that frustrates me more than you can ever imagine. We have a standard price of R2,250 to connect somebody onto certain 5GHz APs. Well, today I bought a kit to connect a new client. The total cost including the pole, the UTP, the power supply and all the bits that aren't shown on the scoop WUG kit was R2,665.30

For that price, the client's getting an RB411R with an R5H, a 24dBi 5GHz grid, 7dBi onmi (since he wants wifi in his house), ABB UT4 enclosure with brackets, antenna cables, shielded twisted pair cable, 24V PSU / PoE combo, 4m pole, 2 small brackets with U bolts.

That price does not include the likes of cable ties, coach screws and Fisher plugs (good quality plugs and coach screws cost about R5 per hole), depreciation of drills, ladders and hand tools, labour, fuel, vehicle running expenses or professional liability insurance. You can only use an RJ45 crimping tool a limited number of times before it wears out and needs to be replaced. Ditto for the glue gun.

Getting back to SiriS' question.

The radius of 100 - 200km is wishful. Would that maybe be 100 - 200m or 1 - 2 km? With all the noise in this part of the world, even 10km is more of a fantasy than a reality.

Why does he want to finance the end users' equipment? We've been down this road of providing subsidised equipment with higher subscriptions and it's a recipe for disaster. If the client can't afford to purchase the radio, then the chances of him / her / them falling behind on their monthly payments is just too high.

He's better off with 50 people who can afford his service than 500 people who can't.

If his service is so good, the customer will make a plan to get the money to join.

But, he needs to be very careful about trying to play in the "service to gated communities" market. There are some very nasty individuals operating in that area. I would steer clear. The thought of being kneecapped because I've unknowingly stepped on some mafioso's toes does not appeal to me.

 

[undesign]

It's this kind of comment that frustrates me more than you can ever imagine. We have a standard price of R2,250 to connect somebody onto certain 5GHz APs. Well, today I bought a kit to connect a new client. The total cost including the pole, the UTP, the power supply and all the bits that aren't shown on the scoop WUG kit was R2,665.30

For that price, the client's getting an RB411R with an R5H, a 24dBi 5GHz grid, 7dBi onmi (since he wants wifi in his house), ABB UT4 enclosure with brackets, antenna cables, shielded twisted pair cable, 24V PSU / PoE combo, 4m pole, 2 small brackets with U bolts.

That price does not include the likes of cable ties, coach screws and Fisher plugs (good quality plugs and coach screws cost about R5 per hole), depreciation of drills, ladders and hand tools, labour, fuel, vehicle running expenses or professional liability insurance. You can only use an RJ45 crimping tool a limited number of times before it wears out and needs to be replaced. Ditto for the glue gun.

Getting back to SiriS' question.

The radius of 100 - 200km is wishful. Would that maybe be 100 - 200m or 1 - 2 km? With all the noise in this part of the world, even 10km is more of a fantasy than a reality.

Why does he want to finance the end users' equipment? We've been down this road of providing subsidised equipment with higher subscriptions and it's a recipe for disaster. If the client can't afford to purchase the radio, then the chances of him / her / them falling behind on their monthly payments is just too high.

He's better off with 50 people who can afford his service than 500 people who can't.

If his service is so good, the customer will make a plan to get the money to join.

But, he needs to be very careful about trying to play in the "service to gated communities" market. There are some very nasty individuals operating in that area. I would steer clear. The thought of being kneecapped because I've unknowingly stepped on some mafioso's toes does not appeal to me.

Thanks portcullis, very helpful information!